Carrier for die-presses



CARRIER FOB DIE PRESSES. (Application ma .1. 2e. isms.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

L L a2 CV2 a l .127, jf' o f. Q 5 K U] U] 1 1 A5 2 a 174 V o 5 aPatented Dec. 20, I898.

E. TYDEN.

CARRIER FOR DIE PBESSES.

(Application filed Jan. 26, 1898.) (No Modal.) 3 Sheetsshed 2.

villi/fillI!!!III!!!If'llIlI/llllfllrllfflllI!!! m: norms PEYERS ca.FHOTQ-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. a4 a No. 6I6,2l3. Patented Dec. 20, I898. E.TYDEN.

CARRIER FOR DIE PRESSES.

(Application filed Jan. 26, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Modgl.)

UNITED STATES PA-TENT OFFIC EMIL TYDEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

I CARRlER FOR DIE-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,213, dated December20, 1898. Application filed January 26. 1898. Serial No. 663,003. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL TYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Carriers for Die-Presses, which are fullyset forth in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to means for carrying blanks or pieces of metalor other material to and from the-die or other mechanism by which theyare operated upon.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a die-press providedwith improved feeding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, a portionof the press immaterial to the improvements being broken away. Fig. 3 isa section at the line 3 3 on Fig. 2. section at the line 4 4 on Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a section at the line 5 5 on Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are detailside elevations of two forms of trap-door locking and operatingmechanisms in the chute. Fig. 8 is a transverse detail section throughthe trap-door. Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section showing a pneumaticpick-up device adapted to act without contact of its nozzle with theblank, and a similar section of a similar pneumatic detaching devicewith mechanical tripping devices for the valves, being modifications ofthe corresponding parts shown in the principal figures. Fig. 10 is adetail view showing an electric pick-up device and an electric detachingdevice with the energizing-circuits diagrammatically represented, theview being sectional with respect to the carrier-arm in the verticalplane of the axis of such arm and the central hub or head from which itprojects.

A is the base-frame of the press. 'A is the die-bed, A the upper head ofthe press, and A the fly-wheel on the main shaft a the reciprocatingheador plunger of the press.

A represents a die secured in the die-bed A.

B is a chute adapted to deliver the blanks onto the die A.

My improved feeding mechanism comprises an upright shaft C, which isrotated with Fig. 4 is a ,step-by-step movement by means of the crank- Ais bell-crank lever D, fulcrumed on the frame, the other arm of thebell-crank lever being connected by a link D to the lever-arm D of asleeve D mounted loosely on the shaft at the end a downwardly-projectingsuction nozzle or lifter E the construction of which will be hereinafterexplained in detail. To afford bearing for this upright shaft 0 and forother purposes, I provide a bracket F, secured to the press-framerigidly at f, comprising the horizontal arm or web, on which there is ahearing at F for the shaft C and having secured to it the bracket Fwhich has at F another bearing for the shaft C- The bracket F isextended outwardly beyond the bearing F and terminates in a boss F whichafiords bearing for a gear-wheel G, which meshes with and is driven by agearwheel G feathered on the shaft C above the bearing F. The purpose ofthese gears will be hereinafter explained. v

The shaft C is adapted to be reciprocated vertically. In order toaccomplish the purposes of the device, as hereinafter explained, and toeifect such vertical reciprocation, I provide a cam A on the shaft a3,and on the frame there is fulcrumed at h a lever H, one end of which hasan abutment in the form of a roll H, which tracks on the ca1nA while theother end, extending horizontally, is pivotally connected to asleeve-collar C which is loose on the shaft C between two stop-collars 0C The cam A is spiral in form, so

that at each rotation of the shaft the abutin the vertical movementoccurring at each complete rotation of the shaft.

The suction-nozzles or pick-up devices E are designed to operate to pickup blanks from a receptacle at one point in their path of rotation andleave them at another point in said path, the last-mentioned point beingabove the chute B, by which the blanks descend by gravity onto the die.The receptacle for the blanks, from which theyare picked up, is avertical cylinder K, which is held in fixed position above and conaxialwith the gear-wheel G. For the purpose of holding it in this position aswell as for the purpose of affording bearing and supports for certainparts of the mechanism a spider-frame F is upheld by rodsf f whichextend up from the bracket F. This upper frame F has a bearing at F forthe shaft 0 and a boss F through which the cylinder K extends and bywhich said cylinder is held in place near the upper end. To support thebracket F at the lower end of the cylinder K, I provide a standard Fwhich extends up from the floor to the boss F At the lower end of thecylinder K, I secure a collar K, in which is rigidly seated a nut G G isa screwshaft which is feathered through the gear G, screwed through thenut G, and adapted to extend axially within the cylinder K and isrotated by the gear G. Such rotation, derived from the shaft 0 throughthe gear G having the step-by-step character of the rotation of saidshaft 0, causes the screw-shaft G to be advanced upwardly step by stepin the cylinder K, in which, at the upper end of said shaft, is afollower G above which, in the cylinder, there is represented a pile ofblanks, which are thus fed step by step, the pitch of the thread of theshaft G being calculated so that each step advances the pile thethickness of one blank.

The construction of the suction-nozzles or pick-up devices IE will nowbe explained by reference to Fig. at. The arm E, which carries thenozzle, is bent downward at the end, and on the downwardly-extendingportion E the nozzle is mounted and secured. To the end of the arm Ethere is screwed a flanged cap-terminal E, above whose flange there is apacking-gasket c. This cap has lateral apertures E" above the gasket andbelow the end of the arm E On the arm E ,at a distance above the capequal, substantially, to the length of the latter, there is secured thestop-collar E and below it a packing-gasket e. Into the upper end of thenozzle E there is screwed a sleeve E which at the lower part isinteriorly chambered to adapt it to slide outside of the cap E, while atthe upper part said sleeve fits the arm E and is adapted to seat upagainst the gasket 6. This sleeve has also a packing-gasket c at theupper 'end of its enlarged chamber, which adapts it to fit air-tight onthe cap E. The nozzle, which at its upper part is large enough to admitthe flange of the cap E and to be screwed onto the lower end of thesleeve E is at the lower end preferably reduced in diameter. thestop-collar E on the arm E is a second stop-collar E between which andthe upper end of the sleeve E a spring E reacts with a tendency to forcethe nozzle downward and adapted to force it thus downward until thegasket 6 seats upon the upper end of the cap E, and at the same time thelower end of the sleeve E seats upon the gasket e. The operation ofthisnozzle or lifter may now be understood upon considering that suction isconstantly exerted through the arm E by reason of the connection of theshaft 0 with means for exhausting the air and producing such suction.The normal condition of the parts of the nozzle, it will be seen, isthat under the action of the spring E' the nozzle will be at its lowestposition, being stopped by the contact of the gaskets e and 6,respectively, with the upper end of the cap E and the lower'end of thesleeve E and in this condition no suction will be experienced at the endof the nozzle because the parts described operate as valves, effectuallyshutting off the suction, which could only reach the end of the nozzleby Way of the ports E and the space within the nozzle around the cap E.As soon, however, as the nozzle descends onto a blank, which occurs whenthe shaft 0 is reciprocated downward, the pile of blanks arresting thenozzle while the arm continues to descend causes the nozzle to be pushedup on the arm and the ports E to be opened, admitting the suction,which, acting upon the blank which now closes the end of the nozzle,holds it firmly thus closed, and the spring E being inadequate to resistthe atmospheric suction will be held compressed so long as the blankremains covering the nozzle after the arm is lifted from the pile ofblanks. The nozzle will therefore lift the blank which thus covers itoff the pile and carry it with it in the subsequent step-bystep rotationof the shaft 0. Passing over for the present the intermediate processesand mechanism, the blank is carried thus step by step until it overhangsthe chute B. When the shaft makes its descending movement with the blankin this position above the chute,the edge of the blank,which extendslaterally some little distance out from the nozzle, strikes the inclinedchute at the upper side before the full descending movement iscompleted, and during the remainder of that movement evidently the blankwill be forced oi the mouth of the nozzle, tilting over the edge of thelatter nearest the inclined chute, and thus admitting the air to thenozzle, whereupon the spring E immediately closes the nozzle, thrustingit downward and completing the delivery of the blank into the chute.

In practice blanks of thin metal, such as tin or brass, which it is thepurpose of this mechanism to feed to the dies which are to Above ICCoperate upon them, frequently stick together either by reason of oil orother material upon their surfaces or by reason of the interlocking ofthe burs or fins, which frequently are formed at their edges in theprevious processes of stamping them out of sheet metal, (these blanksbeing frequently mere waste material resulting from the manufacture ofother articles,) and the pick-up above described is liable, therefore,to pick up two, orsometimes more, blanks from the pile. The delivery ofan improper number thus stuck together into the die is liable to resultin injury to the die and in any event in failure to produce the properresult with the die. To avoid both the danger to the die and theloss ofblanks which would be occasioned in this manner, it is necessary toprovide means for detaching any surplus blanks which may thus adhere tothe one which is immediately in contact with the nozzle. For thispurpose I provide a'plurality of detaching-nozzles, similar inconstruction to the pick-up nozzles above described, but fixed inposition underneath the path of rotation of the pick-up nozzles atpositions corresponding to the descent of the latter nozzles. Thesedetaching-nozzles L L L are connected with branches M M M of thesuction-pipe M, which is connected taching-nozzle should be strongenough to overcome the suction on the blank cover-- ing that nozzle, sothat as soon as the pickup nozzle has been lifted the spring will forceupward the detachingnozzle, and in this movement, admitting air for theinstant of the movement itself and shutting off suction at the end ofthat movement, will relieve the blank from the suction, so that thoughitstill lies over the mouth of the nozzle it will be free and may bedislodged by a proper device for that purpose. The device providedconsists in a light-wire finger N, which projects from the hub E betweeneach two consecutive arms E, and in the path of rotation moves closeenough to the upper mouth of the detaching-nozzles to dislodge anyblanks which may be lying thereon. I have shown three of thesedetaching-nozzles in order that if more than one extra blank shall bepicked up by adhesion, as described, and if the low est one only shouldbe taken off by the first detaching-nozzle another may be taken off bythe second, and still another may be taken ofif by the third nozzle. Inpractice it will rarely occur that more than two blanks will adheretogether, and by providing for the removal of three surplus blanks, thustaking into account the possibility of four adhering, it is renderedpractically certain that there will never be two delivered together intothe chute. If this should happen, however, notwithstanding all thisprecaution, I provide an additional means, which will now be described,for preventing the two blanks from reaching the'die together. In thechute B back of the finger P, I provide a trap-door B This trap-door ishinged at the upper edge and adapted to be dropped out by swinging onits hinge, so thata blank sliding down the chute would pass out if thedoor were opened instead of passing into the die. To the reciprocatinghead A there is secured a finger P, which at the highest point of thehead is just sufficiently above the face of the chute to allow the blankto pass under it. This finger overhangs the lower edge of the trap-door,and when the head descends it is thrust through a notch in the edge ofthe trap-door. This finger, therefore,serves as a stop to arrest theblanks as they descend the chute, letting them pass toward the die onlyat the instant that the head is at the highest point. The trap-door ismade with an opening or depression 13 smaller than the blank, so thatthe latter cannot pass through or into it and in such position that theblank lying on the door and arrested by the finger P lies above thedepression or opening, so that by virtue of its elasticity the blank maybe depressed at the center slightly into the depression or opening. Thereciprocating head of the press carries also a finger R, whichencounters a blank lying on the trap-door when the head descends. Thisfinger can yield back-from the encounter, but is held protruded by aspring R, sufficiently stiff to cause the finger todepress the blank atthe center ,when it encounters it unless the stiffness of the blankexceeds a predetermined limit for which the spring is tensioned, thetension being adjustable by means of the nut R which forms the stop foroneend of the spring. The finger B when pushed back closes an electriccircuit S, in which an electromagnet S is energized, and the armature Sof this electromag- .net operates a latch (which, as illustrated, is

a rigid terminal S of the armature) by which the trap-door is secured inclosed position when the armature is away from the magnetpoles, butwhich is withdrawn from locking position when the armature approachesthe magnet, when the circuit is closed and the magnet is energized. Thetension of the spring R being adjusted so that one blank alone lyingover the depression or aperture in the trap-door is not stiff enough toforce back the finger R, but, on the contrary, will yield by springinginto the aperture, no effectis produced if only one blank lies in placeon the trap-door. If, however, two blanks lie together on the trap-dooror an extra thick or extra stiff blank occupies that position, theadditional stiffness causes the finger R to be forced back when the headdescends, closing the circuit,energizing the magnet, and unlocking thetrap-door, which is thereupon opened by the rotation of the trainconsisting of the two wheels Q and Q, the former actuated by anysuitable motor, as by a weight Q and the latter having a crank-pin Qfrom which a link Q extends to the trap-door. The means of latching thetrap-door being a pin (1 on the wheel Q, such pin being stopped by thelatch at the position at which the pitman-link Q holds the door shut,the releasing of the train, eifected instantaneously upon the closing ofthe circuit, causes the door to be withdrawn and the blank to escape,whereupon, the circuitbeing broken, the armature immediately returns toa position at which the pin Q will encounter the latch as soon as itcompletes one revolution, and in that revolution, the door having beenopened and the blank having escaped, the door will be closed againduring the same revolution and all the parts will be in originalposition. Instead of this device the device shown in Fig. 7 maybeemployed, which consists of rollers U U, the former protruding upthrough the bottom of the chute and the latter overhanging and incontact therewith and driven by any suitable means, and a belt a, sothat the blanks sliding down that chute are seized between the rollersand fed through them toward the die. The lower roller U is mounted inyielding bearings (represented by the journal-box U carried on aspring-arm U and may be held with sutficient firmness by the spring-armso that any bur or irregularity on the blank will be flattened outwithout causing the roller to yield; but if two blanks enter the rollstogether the spring will yield, allowing the roll U to retreat adistance equal to the extra thickness thus entered between the rolls. Alever U, which at one end bears against the roller U, at the other endoperates to close the circuit by which the magnet is energized andcauses the trap-door to he dropped precisely as when the circuit wasclosed by the act-ion of the finger R, above described, and the blanks,whose accumulation one upon the other caused the spreading of the rolls,will be passed out through the open trap-doorinstead of being passedonto the die, and the roll U, returning to its position of contact withthe roll U, causes the circuit to be broken and the trap-door latched.

It will be obvious that the principle of the mechanism herein abovedescribed, consisting in the employment of a detaching device opposed tothe pick-up device to remove superfluous blanks while the pickup deviceis carrying them toward the die, may be applied with other thanpneumatic devices for either picking up or detaching the blanks or forboth purposes; also, that when pneumatic devices are employed thisprinciple is equally applicable to pneumatic nozzles which do not dependupon contact with the blank to admit the suction, but, on the contrary,are so constructed as to produce an inward current of air before theblank is seated on the nozzlemouth, and which therefore are adapted tooperate in a manner to lift the blanks toward the nozzle, as well as tolift them with the nozzle after they are in contact with it. This modeof action, which involves adaptability to draw the blank to the nozzle,is closely allied to attraction such as may be exerted by the magnet. Ihave shown in Fig. 9 a form of pneumatic nozzle which operates in thismanner, the suction being controlled positively by means independentofthe presence or absence of the blank, so that an inward current of airoperates to draw the blank toward the nozzle-mouth, as well as toholdthe blank on the mouth after it is seated. In this structure thevalve X has a stem X, which encounters a trip X when the nozzle descendstoward the blank, and thereby the valve is opened before the blank isreached and the latter is lifted by the resulting inward current of air.A similar nozzle may be used for the detaching device, the valve beingopened by the contact of its stem with a suitable abutment X, which maybe provided on the pick-up nozzle.

In Fig. 10 I have shown in place of the pneumatic device magnetic pickupand detaching devices consisting of electromagnets Y, whose poles occupya position corresponding to the nozzle-mouth of the pneumatic devicesand in whose circuitsare contact making and breaking devices Y, whichare actuated to close the circuit by abutments encountered during thedescent of the pick-u p in the same manner as the valves of the deviceshown in Fig. 9 are operated in the same movement. I illustrate thesedevices in order to indicate the intended scope of certain claims inwhich the character of the pick-up and detaching devices are notspecified; but specifically I prefer the pneumatic devices. It will beobvious, however, that pneumatic devices may be employed for one purposeand magnetic devices for the other purpose, and such combination is tooobvious to require specific illustration.

1. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a pickup deviceadapted to detachably hold the blanks by action upon one sur facethereof, a source of blanks and means for moving the carrier from suchsource to delivering position, in combination with a detaching deviceadapted to act upon the blank at the opposite side from the pick-updevice located adjacent to the path of movement of the pick-up devicebetween the source and the point of delivery; whereby a superfluousblank may be detached from the blank primarily held by the pick-upbefore the latter reaches the delivering position.

2. In a pressfeeding mechanism, a carrier having the pick-up deviceadapted to hold the blanks detachably by acting upon one surfacethereof; a source of blanks, and means for moving the carrier from suchsource to delivering position, in combination with a plurality ofdetaching devices adapted to act upon the blank at the surface oppositethat at which the pick-up acts, located adjacent to the path of movementof the pick-up from the source to delivering position, whereby aplurality of surplus blanks may be detached one by one, from the blankprimarily held by the pick-up before the latter reaches deliveringposition.

3. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a pick-up deviceoperating by suction adapted to hold the blanks by acting at one surfacethereof, a source of blanks, and means for moving the carrier from suchsource to delivering position, in combination with the detaching devicesimilar to that of the pick-up, adapted to act upon the blanks at theside opposite that at which the pickmp acts, but with less force thanthe latter, such detaching device being located adjacent to the path ofmovement of the pick-up between the source and the delivering position.

4:. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a pick up deviceadapted to hold blanks detachably by acting upon one surface thereof; asource of blanks and mechanism for giving the carrier step-by-stepmovement from such source to position for nation with a detaching deviceadapted to .act upon the blanks at the surface at which they are actedupon by the pick-up, located adjacent to the path of movement of thepickup between the source and the delivering position, and at the limitof one step of movement along said path; mechanism for communicatingsuch step movement from the press adapted to cause one step of suchmovement for each cycle of the movement of the press.

5. In a press-feeding mechanism, a pneumatic carrier comprising atubular arm connected with a source of rarefied air for suction; apick-up nozzle at the end of such arm; a spring tending to hold suchnozzle closed and adapted to be overcome by the positive advance of thenozzle against the blank, the resistance of the spring being less thanthe inward pressure of the atmosphere upon the blank when it closes themouth of the nozzle.

6. In a press-feeding device having a pneumatic carrier consisting of atubular arm connected with a source of rarefied air for suction; apick-up device consisting of a nozzle, adapted to slide on the end ofthe arm, said arm having a terminal provided with lateral ports whichare covered and uncovered by the sliding movement of the nozzle, wherebysuch nozzle operates as a valve to open and close the arm, the inwardmovement of the nozzle being the opening movement, and suitable meansfor resisting the movement and causing the arm to be normally closed.

7. In a pneumatic feeding mechanism for presses, a pick-up devicecomprising the tnbular arm connected with a source of rarefied air; alaterally-apertured outwardly-flanged terminal E for such arm; astop-collar E on the arm back of such terminal, and the nozzle adaptedto slide on the arm and stopped at the limits of its movement by thestop-collar and the flange of the terminal, respectively.

8. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a pick-up deviceadapted to hold the blanks detachably by acting upon one surfacethereof; a source of blanks, and means for moving the carrier from suchsource to delivering position, in combination with a pneumatic detachingdevice adapted to act upon the blanks on opposite sides from the pick-updevice, said detaching device comprising a tubular arm connected with asource of rarefied air for suction; a nozzle at the end of such arm; aspring tending to hold the nozzle closed, and adapted to be overcome bypositive advance of the blank thereagainst, the resistance of the springbeing less than the suction exerted upon the blank when it closes themouth of the nozzle; mechanism for moving the pick-up device toward thedetaching device to cause a blank carried by the former to advanceagainst the latter during the carrying movement of the carrier before itreaches delivering position.

9. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a pick-up deviceadapted to detachably hold the blanks by action upon one surfacethereof; a source of blanks, and means for moving the carrier from suchsource to delivering position, in combination with a detaching deviceadapted to act upon the blank at the opposite side from the pick-updevice, located adjacent to the path of the pick-up device from thesource to the delivery, and mechanism for causing the pick-up device"and the detaching device to approach each other at the point in thepath of travel of the former at which said devices stand opposed to eachother.

10. In a press-feeding mechanism, a carrier having a plurality ofpick-up devices adapted to hold blanks detachably by acting upon onesurface thereof; a source of blanks and mechanism for giving the carrierstep-by-step movement from such source to the position for deliveringthe blanks to the press, each step being equal to the distance betweenconsecutive pick-up devices of such carrier, and being performedsynchronously with the action of the press; a detaching devicefixed inposition adjacent to the path of movement of the pick-up devices of thecarrier between the source and delivery position, opposedto theblank-holding end of the latter and adapted to act on the blank at theopposite side from the pick-up device, and mechanism actuated by thepress synchronously with the step-by-step movement of the carrier toreciprocate the carrier in a plane at right angles to its carryingmovement to cause the pickup devices to advance toward the detachingdevice as they successively reach a position opposite the same andbefore they reach the delivery position.

11. In combination with a press, a chute in which blanks descend to thedie; a trap in such chute; a gage-tester which operates on the blankwhen the latter is on the trap; an electric circuit having acircuit-breaker connected with the gage-tester and adapted to beoperated to close the circuit when the predetermined gage is exceeded;and an unlocking device for the trap, which is operated when the circuitis closed.

12. In combination with a press, a chute in which blanks descend to thedie; a trap in such chute; a gage-tester which operates on the blankwhen the latter is on the trap; an electric circuit having acircuit-breaker connected with the gage-tester and adapted to beoperated to close the circuit when a predetermined gage is exceeded, andmeans for opening and closing the trap set in action by the closing ofthe circuit.

13. In combination with a press, a chute in which blanks descend to thedie; a trap in such chute; an electrolnagnet and a circuit in which itis energized; a latch for the trap which is actuated by the armature ofthe magnet; a finger carried by the reciprocating head of latter toencounter the blank on the trap, and

a circuit-breaker actuated by said finger to close the circuit when thedescent of the fingeris resisted beyond a predetermined extent by theblank.

14. In combination with a press, a chute in which blanks descend to thedie; a trap in such chute having a depressed or apertured center; anelectromagnet, and a circuit in which it is energized; a latch for thetrap which is actuated by the armature of the magnet; a yielding fingercarried by the reciproeating head of the press, adapted upon the descentof the latter to encounter the blank on the trap above the depression oraperture of the latter, and a circuit-breaker actuated by said finger toclose the circuit when the descent of the finger is resisted beyond apredetermined extent of the blank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 22d day of January, 1898.

EMIL TYDICN.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. S. BURTON, JEAN ELLIOTT.

